Letter: Macdonald blow

Sir: The creation of Gus Macdonald as minister ("Cronysim row over TV tycoon", 4 August) raises wider questions about democracy in this country, not just the House of Commons.

One can see this as yet another blow to the North-east of England. Not only do the Scots get another minister banging the table for the Scottish interests in the run up to their Scottish Parliament, but also no minister for the region, banging the drum for us. This may indeed seem to Scots as crying over split (Castle)milk but, increasingly we in the North-east are being put at a disadvantage versus Scotland, and to a lesser extent, Wales.

The Labour Party, by not decreasing the number of Westminster MPs on the re-opening of a Scottish Parliament, by not creating a northern assembly and by the appointment of Mr Macdonald may be serving our Scottish friends but it is badly disserving England's North-east.

TOM WOODWARK

Newcastle upon Tyne